An early fall storm that devastated cattle and sheep herds in western South Dakota spared most wildlife but did take a toll on pheasants.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — An early fall storm that devastated cattle and sheep herds in western South Dakota spared most wildlife but did take a toll on pheasants.

John Kanta with the Game, Fish and Parks Department in Rapid City says no major losses of buffalo, deer, antelope, grouse or turkeys have been reported.

But people are finding a lot of dead pheasants.

Mike Stephenson, of Mitchell, with Pheasants Forever, says that because of the wet spring, many hens nested again. But that second hatch of birds was still quite young and undeveloped when the storm hit, so a lot of them didn't make it.

He says the state already expected pheasant numbers to be down, so it's not clear if the larger loss from the storm will keep any hunters away.